Vallée Big On Smith

Lancers head coach Chantal Vallée annoucned the signing of 5′ 8″ forward Yasmeen Smith to the women’s program for the 2018-19 season. Photo courtesy of Elisa Mitton/Windsor Lancers.

(WINDSOR, ON) – The Windsor Lancers women’s basketball head coach, Chantal Vallée, has announced the addition of Yasmeen Smith to the Lancers roster for the 2018-19 season. Smith, a 5’ 8” forward from Cambridge, joins the Lancers from Centennial College, where she spent two seasons with the Colts.

“She will bring speed, steals, and rebounding to our game,” said Vallée. “I like the fact Yasmeen is an older and more mature player. She’s played post-secondary already for two years and will be able to ease in very quickly in my opinion. She is tremendously athletic and will help us on the defensive end immediately, being a taller wing player.”

An OCAA east division first team all-star, Smith established herself as a force at both ends of the court. Her scoring touch, defensive intensity, and relentless rebounding earned her Centennial College’s Female Athlete of the Year award along with her team’s Most Valuable Player award this past season.

“She is determined to train and get to higher standards in basketball, but as well in her own schooling and personal life,” Vallée continued. “I liked her attitude and character. Those are the attributes I always look for in an athlete and a person and I am very excited to be adding her to the team.”

In her first season with the Colts, Smith averaged 14.4 points per game and 11.9 rebounds per game, en route to being named Centennial College’s Rookie Athlete of the Year. This past season, Smith improved in both of those categories, averaging 17.9 ppg to go along with an incredible 15.2 rpg.

She hit a season high in scoring on November 25 when she scored a remarkable 39 points. Her season high in rebounds came on January 22 when she pulled down 22 boards.

“I remember the first time I took in a university game back in high school. It so happened to be when Windsor was playing Carleton in Ottawa,” said Smith. “Ever since that day, I fell in love with the school and I knew I wanted to play at that level one day. Now, being recruited by them is a dream come true. And the fact that they have a communication, media, and film program is just icing on the cake.”